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Academy converter · Wakefield

Horbury Academy

  • 11–16Ages
  • 1,070Pupils
  • SecondaryPhase
  • 138707URN

Wakefield Road, Horbury, Wakefield, WF4 5HE · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school
Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Jan 2026

  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found
Applications per place · Sept 2026
3.0per place
1.4 above Wakefield median (1.6)
Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Wakefield

596 applications for 198 places · 3rd of 18 in Wakefield
Every year since 2014
Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)
51.0of 90
2nd of 18 in Wakefield
All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026
Report card · inspected 6 January 2026Published 8 February 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
AreaExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement
InclusionExpected standard
Curriculum and teachingStrong standard
AchievementStrong standard
Attendance and behaviourNeeds attention
Personal development and wellbeingExpected standard
Early yearsDoes not apply to this school
Post-16 provisionDoes not apply to this school
Leadership and governanceExpected standard
  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement
  • Does not apply

Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

Inspection history

  1. 6 January 2026
    Report card · 2 Strong standard, 3 Expected standard, 1 Needs attention
  2. 5 October 2021
    Graded inspection: Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry
3.0applications per place, Year 7
1.4 above Wakefield median (1.6) 0.8 above England median (2.2)

596 applications · 198 places offered · 234 named it first

  1. 2026 3.0; Wakefield median median 1.6
  2. 2025 2.9; Wakefield median median 1.8
  3. 2024 2.7; Wakefield median median 1.7
  4. 2023 2.7; Wakefield median median 1.6
  5. 2022 2.0; Wakefield median median 1.6
  6. 2021 2.1; Wakefield median median 1.6
  7. 2020 2.2; Wakefield median median 1.7
  8. 2019 2.5; Wakefield median median 1.6
  9. 2018 2.7; Wakefield median median 1.7
  10. 2017 2.4; Wakefield median median 1.7
  11. 2016 2.2; Wakefield median median 1.7
  12. 2015 2.3; Wakefield median median 1.8
  13. 2014 2.1; Wakefield median median 1.7
More applications per place than the Wakefield median in 13 of 13 years.
  • This school
  • Wakefield median

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

EntryPlacesApplicationsPer placeFirst preferencesFirst-pref. ratio
Sep 20261985963.02341.18
Sep 20251985812.92251.14
Sep 20242045552.71810.89
Sep 20232015462.72241.11
Sep 20222314592.01770.77
Sep 20212264772.11800.80
Sep 20202034512.21830.90
Sep 20192075262.52271.10
Sep 20182015432.72621.30
Sep 20172044842.42361.16
Sep 20162104672.22261.08
Sep 20152064722.32201.07
Sep 20142024272.12171.07

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

225 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)51.02nd of 18 in Wakefield
Grade 5 or above in English and maths53%5th of 18 in Wakefield
Grade 4 or above in English and maths77%
  • This school
  • Wakefield median
  • England median
Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)+0.32
−20 = national average+2
Every year as a table
YearPupilsAttainment 85+ Eng & maths4+ Eng & mathsProgress 8
2025/26 (prov.)22551.053%77%–
2024/2519648.753%76%–
2023/2422848.952%71%+0.32
2022/2319849.854%73%+0.29

Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest secondary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement
  • Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type
Academy converter
Phase
Secondary
URN · DfE number
138707 · 384/4028
Trust
Place Partnership - A Multi-Academy Trust
Admissions policy
Non-selective
Capacity
1,059 pupils · 1,070 on roll
Free school meals
27.9% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened
1 September 2012
Replaced
Horbury School - A Specialist Language College (URN 108280)
Address
Wakefield Road, Horbury, Wakefield, WF4 5HE
Local authority
Wakefield

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources